Display and illuminating device



u 1929- Q E. SHAUGHNESSY 1,715,623

DISPLAY AND ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1926 hymn" it -H F-iy. 4

INVENTOR. wa/wi 2/ BY flaw {MW device.

Patented June 4, 1929.

EDWARD sneusrrnnssv, or wnsr ST. PA L. MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALE TMAX A. GROLLA, or wusrsr. reunmrnuusora.

1 DISPLAY AND .ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

Application filed December 4, 1926. Serial No. 152,671.

My invention relates to. anilluminated license and signal device forautomobiles and other vehicles and the object is to provide-a1 simpleefficient and inexpensive device par-" The ticularly'adaptable for motorvehicles. deviceisused in pairs and involves the'use of colored glassserving to d splay illummated license plates in predetermined colors andincidentally servingasparking lights when the vehicle is not in motion.I

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is atop View of one unit of mydevice, Fig. 2 is apartly sectional face View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an approximately full size cross sectionfofa preferred type oflamp socket about as on line 33 in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of my device as used on an autotmobile.

Fig. 5 is a detail face View of a. modified form of lamp socket.

h Fig. 6 1s a. wiring diagram of a two-way switch system for controllingcurrent to both lamps from a switch socket such as shown 1n Fig. 5andlocated one at each illumlnatlng Referring to the drawing byreference numerals 1O designates a sheet metal reflector housing thefront of which is of elongated quadrangular shape and open and saidopening having inwardly directed flanges 10F on two long sides and oneend while the other end is not flanged so as to slidably receive acolored glass 11 in front of which is a sheet metal license plate 12.The latter plate has suitable cut out numbers and lettering indicatingthe license number, State, year and class of car.

The plates 11 and 12 are stopped by the endv flange 10F and retainedwithin the flanges; the position of said plates being shown dotted inFig. 2 and there being a space between the free end of said plates andthe adjacent end of the housing as at S in Fig. 2. 13 is a small screwor like means close to the open end of one or both parallel flanges 10Fand located to prevent the plates 11'12, from slipping out of thedevice. I r

14 is an electric bulb removably fixed in the holder 15 of insulatingmaterial and suitably retained in a sheet metal sleeve 16 formed integral with the converging rearwardly slanting walls of the housing 10(see Fig.3) and forming the reflector means back of the license andcolored plates.

17'is a threaded central herein member 15 adapted to receive thethreaded end of lamp 1-1. and of which 18 is connected to a centercontact 19 in the bore17 frictionally engaged by the threaded socket endof the lamp 14, and

contact 18A has anexposed-conductor 20 with- 7 1n bore 17 to be engagedby the threaded lamp tactsand opens the circuit to the lamp.

In Fig. 4, 27 is a battery or other source of current from "which wire22 extends tothe switch described in the housing 10, current continuingfrom thence through wire 24 to the front housing or rear housing as thecase. may be and being rounded as at 28.. p

In themodilied form in Figs. 5 and Gthere are three contacts 21. 23 and23A in the cap 26'- arranged close together. Inthis case the contacts 18and 18A'are also close together to contact simultaneously with any twoof the three contacts 21, 23and 23A. l/Vith this form of switch andwiring as shown in Fig. 6 there is a switch cap 26 at each housing andcircuit is readily closed or opened to both illuminating devices bymanipulating either switch. Thus the operator can switch on both lightsfrom either end of the car.

18 and 18A are fixed contacts in holder 15 v 2 I prefer to use'red glassin the rearhous- Y ing and green glass inthe front housing to providecorrespondingly illuminated license 9 These colors are'the numbers andletters.

most commonly used for forwardly and rear-j V wardly exposed parkinglights but it is ob-v vious that my device should remain. lighted duringdark hours 'andserve the double purquired colors.

The c1rcu1t control means of my device are purposely placed at or withineach housing or both housings. The driver of a car'must leave his seatto turn the .lights on and off and he will then know 'definitelywhendoing pose of illuminating the license and parking 7} so that his lightsare on or off as needed and V 7 that when one is, turned on the other isalso on; Thus he need not bother with turning on parking lights evenwhen the car is,

stopped. Illuminated license plates will also comply with regulationsrequiring clearly exposed numbers and also provide readily readableidentifying means. The latter feature makes it drliicult for a driver toet away fromthe scene of an accident without his number being' e asilyobtained.

It is" also obvious that in the use of my device socalled taillights arenot needed on a I claim r In an lllum natmg device for motor vehicles,having a source of electric current, and

signal housings mounted one at each end of r thevehicle, an electriclamp in each housing and means for regulating in circuit with saidsource of'eleotric current said circult and fixed at each housing; eachsaid housing 00111 prising a quadrangularopen frame, reflector panelsformed integral with said frame eX- tending from all four edges thereofangularly toward a point of convergence centrally of and inspacedrelationre'arwardof saidframe, an electric bulb socket vfixed at saidlatter point, a plate of translucent colored material adapted to beremovably retained in said quadrangular frame, a sheet metal plate alsoi'e'movably retained in said frame and outfourth side being open toslidably insert said plates between the parallel channels into the endchannel, and means for retaining said plates in position, consistinginproviding apertures in the channel members adjacent said open end, and aretaining element insertible in each said aperture in a position toprevent endwise movement of the plates.

1n testimony whereof I affixmy signature,

EDWARD SHAUGHNESSY, V

